Michigan Bed & Breakfast Innkeepers – Breast Cancer

It has been over 2 years since we found out we had breast cancer. I say “we”, because when my wife, Lori, found out she had the disease, it became all consuming for both of us. There was no warning, she never felt sick, life was good. She had recently had her annual mammogram, she did her regular self-examination, she was doing everything she was supposed to do. Then, one day, she found something “funny” in her breast. It wasn’t the rough lump that they teach you to look for, it was a disc–a long, smooth disc–that was abnormal. She saw her doctor and he scheduled everything immediately–another mammogram, ultrasound, CT scan, PET scan, mastectomy, and chemotherapy. They didn’t want to mess around. If it turned out to be cancer, Lori wanted it out of her body as soon as possible. If it wasn’t cancer, they could cancel everything.

They took the biopsy. Then we had to wait for the results to come. The fear that it could be the “big C” was almost unbearable. The waiting is the hardest part. After an incredibly long weekend of warranted worry, the tests confirmed our fears and we immediately started following the scheduled appointments. Step one was the mastectomy. Not a pleasant option, but when faced with the alternative, it was the only option. We had the operation done at our local hospital. Step two was having the chemotherapy at our local hospital.

We had the option to go to the University Hospital that is located about an hour away, but after hearing a few disturbing anecdotes, we decided to do it locally. Cancer treatment is tough enough without having to add stress by thinking about it all the way there and all the way back for the duration of the treatments in a city a fair distance away. So many people think that the best place is the University Hospital and they all go there, and you wait and wait just to get an appointment. We didn’t like that option. My buddy from high school is in nuclear medicine at another university hospital and reassured me that the treatments I had described were exactly what his hospital would do. That kind of reassurance was invaluable.

For Lori, the chemotherapy was not as bad as the drugs they gave her afterwards to increase her white blood cell count. Those drugs caused her bones to work overtime to produce the extra blood cells that were needed to replace the cells that the chemo destroyed. Incredible pain in the big bones–mainly shoulders, thighs, and hips–made it difficult for her to get out of bed for about a week after the treatment. Then when she started to feel better, it was time for another chemotherapy. Her girlfriend shaved her head, so she could take control of the inevitable hair loss. She toughed it out and finished her chemo.

Step three was radiation treatment. Everyday treatment for a month was her new agenda. The radiation was not available at our local hospital, so we went to the nearest hospital that did, just 30 minutes away in Jackson. They pointed radiation machines at different angles toward the area where the cancer was found. The treatments were very quick–just minutes. There was no initial pain, but over time, the radiation created something that felt like sunburn. The daily treatments turned the skin tissue to leather, and Lori’s esophogus felt the same as her skin. The internal pain exceeded the external pain and an increase of acid reflux made it difficult to lie down to sleep. It took months to get rid of the “sunburn”. Then it was time to heal.

The only good thing about getting breast cancer is that breast reconstruction is part of the treatment and is mandated to be covered by insurance. Lori has been very happy with her female plastic surgeon Dr. Mariam Awada at Michigan Cosmetic Surgery in Southfield, Michigan. Her bedside manner was confident and assuring. Her online results spoke for themselves. Lori immediately knew that she had picked the right surgeon.

Part four was the reconstruction surgery. It was done 2 years and a week after her original mastectomy and things are finally getting close to normal around here. The surgery and the recovery were less painful than expected. The impending positive outcome took a lot of stress out of her ordeal and made any pain easier to handle. Lori really enjoys her “celebrity boobies” who she has already named “Wham” and “Bam”. I am happy that she is happy. Her new look is a bonus.

Lori chose silicon implants over saline. They have a better form, look, and feel. There is about a six month wait before step five. There needs to be complete healing before they can complete the reconstruction by reshaping the breasts, creating nipples, and tatooing areolas.

Lori’s postive attitude throughout the whole process has been nothing short of astounding. If you didn’t know she had cancer, you wouldn’t know she ever had cancer. A great attitude, an incredible sense of humor, and a huge support group was key to her sanity through the surgeries, treatments, and recovery. Her coworkers set up a schedule to provide us with meals every day for the first 6 weeks. Her interaction with animals, mainly her horse, kept her mind occupied and was a source of unconditional love. Her buddies at the bingo parlor were another source of support, and the game is a simple, fun activity that she could do in her condition. She was never shy to talk about her ordeal and has been an open book to anyone who wanted to know.

If you make it out to the Munro House Bed and Breakfast in Jonesville, Michigan, and you need to talk to someone about how to handle a similar situation in your life, Lori Venturini is an incredible source of information and an inspiration to us all–especially me.

Mike Venturini – Innkeeper
“Life is good in Jonesville”